Time’s up for Falcons: They need to win in postseason now
Mike Smith and Thomas Dimitroff know they're being judged on playoffs now. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
FLOWERY BRANCH – When Falcons coach Mike Smith was asked this week whether he could sense when a team was ready to take the next step, he gave a long, winding answer that never really arrived at “yes” or “no,” even if he spoke in well-crafted sentences.
It reminded me of middle school when I was faced with an essay question that I didn’t know the answer to, which led to something like, “The Taft-Hartley Act is considered one of the most important documents in history, written half by Taft and half by Hartley, both of whom were fine, distinguished gentlemen who liked to wear suits, and this had a big impact on the United States of America! You’re my favorite teacher! Oh, look at the birdies …”
This was Smith, on whether he knows when a team is ready to take the next step, or possibly the Taft-Hartley Act: “We feel very good about what we’ve accomplished thus far this year. We have expectations. We set our goals, and we’ve been clicking along pretty well this season. I like the way that we’ve played through the first season. The second season is getting ready to start, and I know that we respect everybody that’s in this tournament because they’ve fought very hard to get in it.”
I’ll answer for him: No.
I’ll also answer for general manager Thomas Dimitroff, who, in trying to avoid anything close to state-of-the-Falcons questions this week, has decided to make himself unavailable to the media: No.
In the NFL playoffs, there’s a tendency to handicap teams not by records, statistics or talent, but by resume. New England and Green Bay are feared. They’ve won Super Bowls. The Falcons are not. They scored two points in the Meadowlands.
In their past three playoff seasons, the Falcons went 11-5, 13-3 and 10-6. They lost their first playoff game each year, in stunning, increasingly humiliating fashion: 30-24 (Arizona), 48-21 (Green Bay) and 24-2 (New York Giants). In all three years, they were confident. In all three years, they thought, “We can do this.” They didn’t.
So now we watch again. A talented, confident, 13-3 Falcons team, following the luxury of a week off that’s afforded a No. 1 seed, faces Seattle at the Georgia Dome on Sunday. There’s a public concern because the Seahawks are hot.
But really, that’s not what this is about. This game is not about what the Seahawks are, but rather what the Falcons have been.
This is a one-game pass-fail test. It’s important to Dimitroff, the architect of this otherwise wonderful, five-year franchise makeover, who made the decision to make few roster changes from last season’s team until the late trade for cornerback Asante Samuel (a familiar face from their New England days).
It’s important to quarterback Ryan, who could be excused for getting outplayed in the postseason by three Super Bowl quarterbacks (Kurt Warner, Aaron Rodgers, Eli Manning), but probably not so quickly if he loses to a rookie (Russell Wilson).
It’s important to Smith, who likely will catch more heat than anybody — yes, even more than Ryan — if the Falcons lose this game.
The people who claim Mike Smith absolutely gets fired if the Falcons lose this game are wrong. So are the people who say Mike Smith absolutely would not get fired. Fact is, we don’t know. That’s one man’s decision, and regardless of what that one man, owner Arthur Blank, might say now, even he can’t imagine the difficulty of processing another defeat and where that would lead him. We’re talking about one of the more emotionally invested owners in sports.
But there are several good signs for the Falcons (notwithstanding the season-ending stink bomb against Tampa Bay). They seemed hardened by the criticism. There was less celebrating this season after victories. There’s a swagger on defense — certainly in the secondary with Samuel, Dunta Robinson, William Moore and Thomas DeCoud — that wasn’t evident before.
This has been Ryan’s best season. His completion percentage (68.6), touchdown total (32) and rating (99.1) all were career bests.
But the Falcons’ biggest step forward this season probably came in game-planning and decision-making by the coordinators. Mike Nolan (defense) and Dirk Koetter (offense) have been superior to their predecessors (Brian VanGorder and Mike Mularkey), in terms of motivating players and putting them in positions to succeed.
Smith said, “We’re a much more mature team because of our experiences. I think you learn from your previous experiences in the playoffs.”
We’ll soon find out. Because if they lose again, there’s a very good chance the changes would not be small.
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By Jeff Schultz
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353 comments Add your comment
Answer This
January 9th, 2013
10:04 am
And I do disagree with you Jeff…Choke did the same thing….had a differencr of view on Ryan and the Falcons as you put it…….where did that get him? Banned! Lol. Not to go all Rambo on JSS, I understand he is the nemesis and you allow him more to get away with. Why, beats us all but you do.
Say what
January 9th, 2013
10:08 am
Schultz: I think it’s mostly a case of you viewing him [JSS] as an annoyance and taking a contrary view (usually anti-Falcons, anti-Ryan) .
That’s it exactly. But it’s more than that. If this blog is akin to a virtual bar, with fans of a team cheering, griping, commiserating, and, yes, arguing, then JSS is the equivalent of a guy who walks in and says “you people are all stupid, your delusional, your QB sucks, the organization is full of idiots, you people don’t know football like me, I will now read from the Pro Football Weekly stat page about the Chuck Knoll Steelers so you can get a clue, etc. etc.” That person is goinig to have things insults and objects thrown at him.
So that’s what is happening. It’s logical and fitting and he deserves every bit of it.
Say what
January 9th, 2013
10:18 am
Hey Answer This, it’s great the Choke is gone. I sure don’t miss him. In fact, I can think of only one blogger who openly admired him — JSS. Birds of a feather…
Answer This
January 9th, 2013
10:19 am
They flock together Say What!
Answer This
January 9th, 2013
10:44 am
Last thing about this JSS stuff………Schultz I dont want to get the guy booted….he lives for this…however I do agree with what Say What is saying…..have some respect for the fans that are here and dont be a google bully in the Atlanta Falcons blog room….its rather easy.
tony
January 9th, 2013
10:45 am
Don’t get your hopes up falcon fans. Seattle is rank 4th in total defense, the falcons rank 24th. If the offense doesn’t carry them, our falcons are going home early.
Billy Bob
January 9th, 2013
10:50 am
The easiest way to get to BS posters is just to ignore them. It is very simple. Just never respond and they will go away. Same for all caps people, just never read their posts.
Hillbilly D
January 9th, 2013
10:52 am
Now is the time to get it done.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKhyj5Szmks#t=0m39s
vesaversa
January 9th, 2013
10:55 am
With all the Great talent that the Falcons have any half baked coach could come in and win 12 regular season games like Smith have . But Smith play book consist of only three plays run Tunner on 1st down run Tunner on 2nd down Run Tunner on 3rd and long. Which want win championships . Smith should be fired if they don’t win the Super bowl .
Mask of False Bravado
January 9th, 2013
10:59 am
The above comment is quite an exaggeration.
LadybirdRiley
January 9th, 2013
11:56 am
If the Falcons dont win in the playoffs this year, the man to blame will be Coach Mike Smith. It is coach “Smitty” Smith who kept saying continually after IRONICALLY ENOUGH the WINS that, WE WILL LOOK AT THE FILM, MAKE THE CORRECTIONS SO THAT WE WILL GET THE OUTCOME THAT WE WANT. The problems kept re-surfacing in ALL the games all the way up to the Tampa game with the Falcons making their 3 usually errors. #1. Lack of a short yardarge running game especially in third and 1 or 4th and 1 situations where getting the first down would be a premium; #2.Failure to continue scoring and inability to allow bordem and complacency to set in (which means building leads, then sitting on those leads); and #3.failure to have a balanced running attack AND using the running game to ruin the game by milking the clock too early (after the 1st period). milking the clock shouldnt occur until at least midway through the fourth quarter. It doesnt take a dummy to figure that one out. Any way, the Falcons will lose to the seahawks and Smith should get fired. That would be a perfect ending to top off the season. The tell tale sign that this team was a fraud was that they wee unable to blow people out.
After further review
January 9th, 2013
12:10 pm
Thomas Brown: Your reaction to the olive branch I tried to extend in a different thread has shown your true colors: you are a troll of the first order. Therefore, I will no longer address you directly in any post. I may, from time to time, comment to the other posters about some of your more delusional rants, but the most recent encounter has taught me two things about you: you can’t use logic on the illogical, and you can’t out bray a jackass. To me, you will simply be known as TB, and I have, thankfully, been inoculated against TB. You, sir, may consider yourself DISMISSED.
Sick & Tired Of Being Sick & Tired
January 9th, 2013
12:16 pm
As long as the Falcons don’t try to run Michael Turner all day long on Sunday (Turner for 1 yard, Turner for a 3 yard loss, Turner drops another pass, etc.), then they will beat Seattle.
I am just hoping that the fans will be making so much noise that Russell Wilson can’t even hear the offensive plays from the sidelines in his helment headset. GO FALCONS!!!!
Elvis the falcon fan
January 9th, 2013
12:20 pm
I like our chances this weekend. However, if we lay an egg like we did against Carolina and Tampa Bay then Smith will go. I say that because laying an egg comes down to coaching. Further, IF smitty is gone and AB doesnt hire Cowher or Gruden or even Dungy then he isnt really serious about winning a championship.
Mask of False Bravado
January 9th, 2013
12:25 pm
I’m not worried at all about the Tampa loss. We had NOTHING to play for. We had already clinched the #1 seed.
tony
January 9th, 2013
1:02 pm
vesaversa, I agree with you concerning the playcalling, but I disagree about firing Mike Smith. I think Mike Smith does a good job in motivating and preparing his football team….they just don’t have enough difference makers in the trenches.
I think falcons spent to much time solidifying the skill positions and not enough time solidfying the line of scrimmage(trenches). This offseason they need to find better difference makers(DL/OL)…..starting with SHELDON RICHARDSON-dt….he is a force to be reckon with…..sign fa Glenn Dorsey-dt and fa Will Beatty-ot.
tu87
January 9th, 2013
1:24 pm
IMO if the Falcons lose on Sunday there won’t be any major changes. And there shouldn’t be. I believe the front office believes in the way Smith runs the team. The time to fire him was after last season. You don’t fire him after the first year with two new coordinators. Now if history repeated itself again next year than you will probably see a head coaching change.
JSS
January 9th, 2013
1:33 pm
The idiots done singing “we are” yet? That’s how you form a “question.”
@ Jeff Schultz..
You should have the screenshots …
LadybirdRiley
January 9th, 2013
2:14 pm
From all the BLOGS and the COMMENTS it appears that most of the fans are nervous and think the Falcons will CHOKE and COLLAPSE and get bounced out of the playoffs again. I believe that the Falcons are going to win the superbowl this year, and in order for them to do it, they will beat SEATTLE (this weekend), GREENBAY (in the NFC title game), then go to face either NEW ENGLAND or DENVER in the superbowl AND CRUSHING EITHER DENVER OR NEW ENGLAND, 50-10 IN THE SUPERBOWL. So RELAX fans as you can see you have nothing to worry about! The only thing you as fans should be thinking about now is what you will wear to the Falcons superbowl victory parade down Peachtree Street AFTER THE FALCONS WIN THE SUPERBOWL.
Season Ticket Holder
January 9th, 2013
2:27 pm
Over the last few years, the Falcons have drawn the hot wildcard team in the playoffs. First it was Green Bay, then the NY Giants and now the Seahawks. This weekend the Falcons will put an end to the hotwild card teams run to the Super Bowl. This is the Falcons year to win it all. The Falcons will win on Sunday 24 – 21.
Thomas Brown
January 9th, 2013
2:31 pm
Jeff the post was at 8:22 am on 1/7/2013 comment 521974 at this URL Link sir :
http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2013/01/06/seattle-tough-but-falcons-may-have-some-advantages/?cp=6#comment-521974
His quote sir you’re asking about at this URL Link on 1/7 comment # 521874 is
“KMBBA”
I presume you don’t need that explained, or you would not have removed it.
That is the post you’re asking me for sir which you removed at 9:05 am, three-quarters of an hour later after he posted the racial post, sir, which you removed.
You posted a post about the racial posts at 9:05 am day before yesterday 1/7 Monday.
Thomas Brown
January 9th, 2013
2:31 pm
Then, he re-posted it AGAIN which still remains at this URL Link :
http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2013/01/06/seattle-tough-but-falcons-may-have-some-advantages/?cp=all#comment-522090
At 3:18 pm Monday afternoon 1/7 two days ago now.
“KMBB” leaving out the A at the end on the post at 8:22 am you removed. This comment # 52290 still remains.
This issue is he comes in and tells us to kiss his…
Answer This
January 9th, 2013
2:32 pm
Even when someones helps the King Idiot he goes right back into place! Get the eff of the blog….do the right thing and ban this punkSucka Schultz! He has no clue!
Coachurly
January 9th, 2013
2:52 pm
Michael “I’m No Burner” Turner has got to be some kind of factor in this game. He just hasn’t hit the hole hard the last couple of years. He tiptoes too much, ala Brandon Jacobs. I think Matty and the passing game are the ultimate deciders of this one; but Turner has got to give some kind of meaningful contribution. If he doesn’t, bench his a** and let Snelling run the rock.
Answer This
January 9th, 2013
3:22 pm
Anyone remember the scene in Scarface when Tony has to go to the dealership and confront the guy about trying to kill him and he begs for his life? Remember when Tony says I am not going to kill you and then he says Mano kill this piece of garbarge ( another word was used not garbarge).
Hey JSS I am not going to ban you…..
Schultz ban this piece of garbarge!
all the evidence is before you from Thomas Brown and his lack or respect even when I try to give this piece of trash a break. I know that this blog is his life and if you ban him this miserable piece of poo will blow away like ” dust in the wind”.
JSS….get the eff off our blog!
Eric
January 9th, 2013
3:23 pm
They need to keep Turner off the field on SUnday in my opinion. Really shouldn’t do too much running period. I say dust off the scheme from the KC game and run that exact opening drive against Seattle. Lots of quick passes and no huddle. Make that defense run around all first quarter and get them tired for the second half. Get Rodgers out in space with screens (do NOT do any silly end arounds with JJ). Let TG find holes in the zone (they can’t cover JJ and White man to man because Douglas and TG will kill them). Run just often enough to set up play action but let Rodgers and Snelling carry the ball.
Seattle’s defense is aggressive so set up some double moves with early slants to JJ and White, then hit them over the top with a double move late in the game. It’s really not that hard when you have weapons like the Falcons do. NO defense ought to be able to stop us if everybody (including the coaches) does their job this week….
LOL at The Aints
January 9th, 2013
3:27 pm
JSS
January 9th, 2013
1:33 pm
The idiots done singing “we are” yet? That’s how you form a “question.”
@ Jeff Schultz..
You should have the screenshots
“screenshots” AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, lol
Answer This
January 9th, 2013
3:29 pm
And notice this piece of poo never answered the question why he was here? When he said he was here like the others on here I dragged his lying sack of sorry catpoo to the carpet again and told him others are here to post up the team they cheer for so dont get it twisted! He has said over and over that he has no team and he has no team to cheer for! What the Heck Schultz….he is NO DIFFERENT than Choke! If he wants to state ( see past post) that he is here like others he flat out lied again because others are here to cheer on a team. This piece of garbarge is here for the same reason Choke was! When I turned the light on this roach about that statment he cowarded like cowards do! He serves no purpose in this blog! Wipe his sorry angus off the blog and be let it be over!
LOL at The Aints
January 9th, 2013
3:30 pm
Hey JSS, did you get the screen shot where I called you a Moron, a Dipstick,, a Jackwagon, a Idiot,,LOL
LOL at The Aints
January 9th, 2013
3:33 pm
He is just like choke, just not so over the top, I actually enjoyed choke more than JSS, at least he was kinda funny,,, JSS is one of those guys that thinks he’s funny but ,,,,,,,
Eric
January 9th, 2013
3:37 pm
Can we please stop talking about JSS and resume a mature football discussion? I want to know what you guys think about our offensive game plan for Sunday. We opened the season with a stunning display at KC and I really thought that was how the year was going to go but after the Denver game we sort of went back to old habits and stopped doing the things that worked so well early on against KC and SD. I know they weren’t great teams but Ryan proved that he can take over the game if they just let him. The Falcons need to take off the training wheels and let Matt run the no huddle for most of the game.
Answer This
January 9th, 2013
3:45 pm
Well looks like Caldwell who worked for the Falcons and has taken over as GM for the Jags will be firing Mike Mularkey! More evidence that he has lost touch and had did so here in the ATL.
Answer This
January 9th, 2013
3:47 pm
@ Eric
i think we might see what we are all clamoring to get. I think we finally use the pass to set up the run! I think we come out gunning and when Seattle goes into a zone we see MT33 get some touches but also see alot of screens out the backfield….what say you Eric?
LOL at The Aints
January 9th, 2013
3:49 pm
You cant stop JSS, You can only hope to contain him LOL
Eric
January 9th, 2013
3:51 pm
I just keep thinking about that KC game to start the year. The offense looked radically different from last season and everybody was saying that Koetter really understood Ryan and how to scheme for this offense but by the 4th game we had sort of gone back to a conservative, run-first game plan.
How many first drive TD”s have we had this year? It seems like our scripted drives to open games have been very successful and I don’t know why we always look so good on that first series then look so bad in the 3rd Quarter?
Answer This
January 9th, 2013
4:05 pm
I think the Falcons should attack the strength of that Seattle D! If you remember everyone talked about how the Gmen would give Matt and the offense fits with the pass rush! We attacked the Gmen pass rush by throwing the ball, it put doubt in the Giants after they put 51 on the team they played before us; because we attacked them where they thought they were the strongest! When we do the same to Seattle it will put doubt in the minds of that D and make them change the D gameplan and cause bickering and confusion with those young guys! As for the D, use the same method! We know we dont stop the run well, but when we establish run blitzes and 8 in the box like we did Tampa the first time ( remember the Muscle Hamster and even the all world rookie from Giants and even Shady from Philly) it causes confusion and doubt and when we take that away, Russell will have to play against a D that is ready to attack! Just like all those games!
loose caboose
January 9th, 2013
4:14 pm
Answer This brings up a good point. Seattles only real threat stat is D. That being said, the rest of their game is not that impresive. Falcons win by 10…
Eric
January 9th, 2013
4:16 pm
Yeah, nobody seems to remember that we have one of the best secondaries in the league. I can’t think of anybody really better than Decoud and Moore as far as safeties go (imagine if we had a healthy Grimes too). We gave up a lot of garbage yards this year but we didn’t give up points and that is the important thing. I really could envision this game being 17-13 or something like that…
Thomas Brown
January 9th, 2013
4:18 pm
There is no doubt that we’re going to pass the football like crazy compared to what Seattle does. We fully, or I anyway for us, fully expect Seattle to run the football more than we do. They want to keep the amount of time the far-better quarterback Matt Ryan has to throw the football to 3, one more than they can account for, receivers down the field. They accomplish this by running. They will have 50 more yards rushing than we do. We will have 200 more yards in the air than they. They are the team whom we must beat. Falcons have waited for this day, not some other day : This one. If there ever was a game plan, so plain and so clear, never was it more obvious than now, Eric. That’s how I see it, too.
Russell Wilson 5′ 11″ and 4.5 speed.
Matt Ryan will pass the ball up and down the field.
I agree that the run will now be open for us. We, then, run. You’re not, as the Falcons going to go out there and run the football down their throats. We’re not Alabama. We’re the Falcons with all our monies spent on 3 wide receivers for our top Quarterback to throw the ball to – and, we will.
There will be other match-ups later with teams who do have a quarterback. Russell Wilson ain’t it. He’s a joke of a quarterback doing what a cheating caught in the act like JSS Pete Carroll, wants him to do – run like this is Southern California and like the Falcons are some group of misfits who lucked their way to 13-3 like San Diego State college Southern California could just ignore the passing game and say : Oh, hey, we gots that covered with our great 2 cornerbacks. Uh, no they don’t.
That’s how I see this game, Eric. Good question – not that you or any of us can get in a word, edgewise around here.
Seattle has nothing covered.
Answer This
January 9th, 2013
4:34 pm
We will win 24-13 with Julio, Tony and believe it or not Mt33 having TD’s. 8 minutes left in the 4th quarter last week and Seattle put up 11 points….all the other points were ine touchdown and 3 field goals…now you bring a guy off the street who has to kick field goals? I take nothing away from Seattle, they are a up and coming team that really reminds me of the Falcons 5 years ago….a team that is run heavy based and has a stud of a back in Lynch. However, it will take alot to beat the Falcons on Sunday and two weeks from Sunday. This team has a chip on its shoulder and will show it on Sunday. All year when pushed to answer the bell ( Aints twice, should have won both, Giants, Detroit, Philly, Denver) this team has taken the charge and in a boxing metaphor has gotten up on every standing 8 count with a chance to win EVERY game we played this year! We will continue to Rise Up like we have all year!
DJANGO
January 9th, 2013
4:38 pm
I thought you guys said that Guy choke was the problem.
Now JSS too? Seems like the moderator makes new rules
As the other people who don’t like him complains. That’s
Fair I guess.
Eric
January 9th, 2013
5:05 pm
We just need to execute our fundamentals and not worry about the playoff thing. Stay loose and confident and remember that this ain’t GB and Aaron Rodgers coming to town this time. It’s a very good rookie QB but a rookie nonetheless. The Dome will be rocking and he’ll have trouble hearing as will the rest of their offense. Seattle is not the big, bad, scary wolf ESPN is making them out to be. They are a young, talented team that should get beat by a more talented and experienced Falcons squad. Now next week either GB or SF will be a problem but we’re going to have to beat the good teams when it matters if we ever want to reach our ultimate goal.
Matty Bicep
January 9th, 2013
5:25 pm
JSS I did not say Dan Reeves should be a HOF coach, but I am pretty sure his 9 Superbowl appearances as either a player, assistant or head coach is probably a record with recognizing. As I said, the Forrest Gump Award.
JSS
January 9th, 2013
6:00 pm
Thomas Brown, always LATE to the party! You need to get a Way back Machine and go get to 1947 before Edward R. Murrow and mass communication technology when jerks like you would wipe up the ignorant… I’m still here doodle pop, thanks for the chuckle! Oh, and you’re still WRONG!
JSS
January 9th, 2013
7:09 pm
Matty Bicep
January 8th, 2013
10:34 pm
“Trivia, What former #1 draft QB never came close to living up to his hype, who was signed to a 100 Mil contract and was anointed a “dream team” QB, only to go down as maybe the largest bust in history and get its HOF coach who was loved by the owner fired?”
Who is it then in your assertion, Reeves or Reid? None of these man will see Canton, the bar for a coach to get in is old NFL/AFL championships or SB appearances… Only exception is George Allen. Reeves and Coryell will need a miracle. I stand corrected on Grant (went in 1994- it is a year I’d rather forget), but hey, if Levy can get in, maybe (slight chance) they give Coach Reeves the call… Problem is none of his team were never competitive in a Super Bowl… At least Levy got within a kick…
JSS
January 9th, 2013
7:24 pm
And folks, Dan Reeves got himself fired… When you don’t draft well and when can’t develop backup QBs, that is a system problem… Just as Don Shula got himself shown the door (not fired but clash with owner) in Baltimore (personality and stubbornness), you got to know how to be flexible… Doug Johnson rested on his shoulders alone…
Matty Bicep
January 9th, 2013
10:04 pm
Actually was referring to Reid, but you are probably right, not a HOF….unless he somehow gets a ring in KC.
JSS
January 9th, 2013
11:29 pm
Cowher will get in before Reid, he has the same identical resume with a Super Bowl win…
melfalcons
January 10th, 2013
12:43 am
falcons win easy—cover the points–bet the house! atl 29 seattle 13!!!
Godzilla
January 10th, 2013
9:39 am
Ryan is always said to be better than Flacco. But Flacco has never missed the play-offs and has 6 wins (so far). The Hawks will crush Ryan.